Chapter 74: Omen of Disaster

As I flew across the endlessly stretching sky, only one thought circled in my mind.

Rico…

For three years, I left that child alone.

I lost my mind to a single golden brew for three whole years.

What have I done?

“Frostia-nim, are you alright? Perhaps you should slow down a bit…”

Nis’s voice scattered in the wind.

She was clinging to my back, desperately trying to keep her posture, but I had no time to worry about such trivial matters.

Right now, only Rico mattered.

I have to go faster.

Instantly, my muscles tensed further, and my wings cut through the air more forcefully, increasing my speed.

“Ughbbbbbbbb.”

Nis held on to my back tightly, barely managing to hold on, and made a strange noise.

Her usual elegant appearance was gone, and her hair was flying wildly in the wind.

“Aren’t… aren’t you going too faaaast?”

Nis’s voice trembled.

It was unlike her, who was always composed and sophisticated, but I had no time to care about that now.

I kept my speed without answering.

In the distance, the silhouette of the Sia Kalt mountain range began to appear on the horizon.

The snow-covered mountains reflected the sunlight, shining silver.

Normally, I would have found the sight beautiful, but now all I could think was, ‘Still so far.’

Rico, wait.

I’m coming soon.

Anxiety washed over me in waves, receding and returning.

What does Rico look like now?

How anxious must she have been when I didn’t return?

Or… was she angry?

No, Rico isn’t a child who gets angry easily.

But three years is…

The mountains grew closer.

And finally, I arrived at the labyrinth’s entrance.

Sharp ice shards decorated the entrance, and a cold wind blew out from the cave.

My home, and Rico’s home.

“Phew… let’s go in now.”

Nis said as she got off my back.

Her face was flushed red from the wind, and her usually perfectly coiffed hair was a mess.

But her eyes held the same worry as mine.

“Alright.”

I answered quietly and polymorphed into my human form.

The air felt colder on my skin in human form.

My silver hair fluttered in the wind, and the coldness against my skin strangely brought me a sense of calm.

Nis also straightened her appearance.

Her gracefully curved body was as perfect as ever.

Her black dress further accentuated her elegance.

But now, her red eyes held a seriousness instead of their usual playfulness.

“Quickly.”

After speaking concisely, I leaped into the labyrinth.

Nis followed right behind me.

Inside the labyrinth, it was as cold and quiet as usual.

Ice crystals on the walls reflected a faint light, dimly illuminating the passages.

We went deeper into the labyrinth.

Past the upper, middle, and lower levels, we headed for the depths.

This labyrinth must have changed in three years too.

I wondered how the place where Rico was had changed.

The space she tended to was always filled with a warm energy.

A warm flower blooming in the middle of an ice labyrinth.

It was like a miraculous oasis in the middle of a desert.

That’s what that child’s existence meant to me.

I moved quickly to the depths.

Passing through familiar ice tunnels and caves, I found traces of monsters everywhere.

But there were fewer than usual.

Finally, between the deep and the deepest levels, I arrived at the large cavern where Rico had been.

My heart pounded.

I can finally see that child again.

But as soon as I entered the cavern, my heart sank.

“Ah…”

Rico was gone.

In the vast space, only the small flowers resembling Rico that Nis had made last time and numerous insect monsters remained.

Where Rico had been, there was only an empty ice floor.

Only a faint trace of where her roots had been remained.

My mind went blank.

‘No.’

What happened to Rico?

Could it be… that someone got to her?

Horrible images began to form in my mind.

Someone forcibly pulling Rico out.

Rico withering in pain.

All the dangers that might have befallen Rico while I was away…

“Frostia-nim! Get a grip!”

Nis’s sharp voice cut through my thoughts.

Only then did I realize that the surrounding temperature had dropped drastically.

My emotions were affecting the environment.

Nis was holding my arm.

Her face was a mixture of worry and bewilderment.

“Frostia-nim, look at the insects.”

At Nis’s words, I turned my head, and the butterflies were flapping their wings violently in the air.

And below them, various insect monsters like ants, beetles, centipedes, and mantises were clustered together, forming the shape of a giant flower.

My heart started beating again.

The insects seemed to be trying to explain something about Rico.

“Is that Rico?”

As I muttered, the flower made of insects began to slowly transform.

The petals turned into a torso, the stem into legs, and soon, the shape of a small girl was formed.

“Oh my! It seems Rico has polymorphed!?”

Nis exclaimed in a surprised voice.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

The insects’ play continued.

Next to the girl’s shape, a giant bee shape made of bees, two butterflies, and a spider gathered.

The insects’ movements became more complex.

The girl’s shape stretched out its hand as if pointing at me, then depicted itself walking in that direction.

And then the insects dispersed again.

To be able to put on such a performance…

I couldn’t help but be amazed.

The last time I saw them, such intelligent behavior would have been impossible. It seems Rico raised them well.

‘More importantly, she polymorphed and left to find me…’

The situation became clearer.

Rico had learned to polymorph, taken on a human form, and left with the four insects—probably the ones named Miel, Cecilia, Glacia, and Lotte—to find me.

My heart ached.

How long did Rico wait for me?

How long did she wait before learning to polymorph herself and leaving like this?

A wave of guilt and emptiness washed over me simultaneously.

It’s my fault.

It’s my fault for leaving that child alone for three years.

Because of me, who was lying unconscious and couldn’t return here…

“Let’s go find Rico quickly! To think she polymorphed on her own without my help!”

Nis said excitedly.

A smile hung on her lips, and her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

I couldn’t help but sigh.

What is with that simple-minded thought?

She didn’t seem to understand the seriousness of the situation at all.

Doesn’t she think about the state of mind Rico must have been in to polymorph?

I was annoyed, but now was not the time to be swept up in such emotions.

Finding Rico was the priority.

“Alright, let’s go right away.”

My voice was calm, but a storm was raging inside me.

Where Rico might be now, what dangers she might be in, and most importantly… what she would say when she saw me.

My mind was a mess as I headed back to the labyrinth’s entrance.

Where should I even start looking for Rico?

The whole world is so vast.

“Where should we go now?”

Nis asked as if she had read my thoughts.

Her eyes shone brightly, perhaps mixed with anticipation for what was to come.

“Well… if Rico went to find me…”

I paused for a moment in thought.

I left saying I would take Nis to Desmere, so it was possible Rico headed there.

But what if she finds out I’m not in Desmere?

Where would she go next?

Or she might be wandering the world from the start.

“It’s so overwhelming. I never knew the world was this big.”

I sighed, looking up at the wide-open sky.

To find a small Rico in this vast world…

“I have a good idea.”

Nis said in a bright voice.

A playful smile spread across her face.

“What is it?”

“We’re world-famous beings, right? How about we just go to any country and wreck it? Then the rumors about us will spread quickly across the world, and Rico will hear them too. Then won’t Rico come find us soon?”

My eyes widened.

It sounded crazy, but…

Thinking about it, it was a pretty good idea.

“Hmm… that’s surprisingly a good idea.”

Nis’s eyes sparkled.

“Right, right? It’s the most efficient way. It doesn’t matter if a few humans die, right? They’re beings with short lives anyway.”

Nis said, waving her hand.

To her, human life was nothing more than a flower that bloomed and withered in a short time.

To be honest, my thoughts weren’t much different.

From the perspective of someone who has lived for thousands of years, humans were just fleeting existences.

I sometimes couldn’t understand why Rico cared so much for such beings.

Come to think of it, the god named Mikel that Rico cares about has always bothered me.

Mikel would cherish humans.

But if I act docile because I’m concerned about Mikel, the rumors will spread much slower.

“Right. We can easily spread rumors and find Rico at the same time.”

“Yes! Then a country in the center of the continent would be good, so it’s easy for her to find us!”

A surprisingly rational suggestion came out.

The center of the continent…

I don’t know what country is there now, but it seemed most appropriate.

The rumors would spread quickly, and Rico could easily find us.

“Good idea.”

As I said with a slight smile, Nis beamed as if she had been praised.

“Right? It was helpful that I came along, right?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I answered with a wry smile.

Nis’s methods were always extreme, but in a situation like this, such an approach might be effective.

“Rico… I’ll see you soon.”

I muttered as I prepared to fly again.

***

Munch, munch!

The dinner banquet at Count Hind’s estate was more splendid than I could have imagined.

The whole roasted pig in the center of the table was roasted to a crispy brown, and when cut, the juices gushed out like a waterfall.

Nom, nom, nom!

This is crazy! Crazy!

I marveled as I chewed on a mouthful of meat.

The count’s chefs were truly the best.

I was especially touched by their thoughtful consideration of completely excluding vegetable dishes and filling the table with only meat and seafood.

There was top-grade lobster, tender beef steak, and spicy seasoned steamed seafood.

‘Ah! It’s so delicious!’

“The taste is not bad.”